After the substandard performance at Rocky Crest Golf Club, Charles the Super Host wanted to distract me from our disappointment. He pointed us towards the lakeside village of Port Carling. Many celebrities summer on the large lakes in the Muskoka area, which has been dubbed “The Malibu of the North.” Justin Bieber, Cindy Crawford, Tom Hanks, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Steven Spielberg, Martin Short, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, and Mark Walhberg are some of the big names that call this region home from June-September. Businesses start closing down in early October–most unfortunately ice cream shops–which crushed our initial plan to eat ourselves into a better mood. We pivoted to a patio meal at Turtle Jacks and a stop at the local liquor store. The Where’s William Now adventure still had one important box to check. A taste test between the American Transfusion and the Canadian Cranfusion. I purchased two of each flavor because why limit yourself to two cans when you can have four?
We stayed overnight at Rocky Crest Resort, which provided a tranquil lakeside setting. The only point deduction was the booming baseline at the nearby Saturday Night Wedding Reception. I still slept well because 79 strokes is exhausting.
In the morning, we had breakfast at Windows overlooking the lake. Charles and I are similar in many ways. We share the same opinion on most things and are both a little guarded. This might surprise the readers that know me because I never shut up. But that outgoing personality is just for show. Deep down, I am shy and slow to trust others. As a result, I don’t allow many people into my inner circle.
Golf at King Valley was memorable, but as this trip has progressed I’ve discovered the golf course is just the setting we share for a few hours. The meaningful stuff happens with the people you share it with. And even though my scores have gone north like the Where’s William Now adventure, I’ve started to recognized that I’m not as focused on performance and less disappointed when I fall short. I know I play better when I am competitive and slightly on edge, but I haven’t been able to sustain that attitude for more than a hole or two. I’m not locked in on my decision making and I’m going through the motions on green reading. But I think it’s a good thing because through this process, I’ve realized the score on the card doesn’t matter much.
Dinner at my host’s home confirmed this epiphany even more. Besides the delicious meal, the conversation was exceptional. Two of their daughters, along with their boyfriends, chose to hang with us instead of doing whatever twenty- somethings do on a Sunday night. I heard two stories about the Yukon Territory and an F-1 race in Monaco that I will never possibly forget and never possibly match. You think after those doozies, people want a shot-by-shot of my 77?
My sons love to give me a hard time because I am constantly comparing golf to life. Staying in the present, moving on from disappointment, and not getting too far ahead of yourself are examples where it helps in both areas. I am going to take it one step further. When I give a golf lesson, I am trying to communicate swing feelings with words. When I play golf, I am looking for a “feeling” in my swing instead of a technical thought. And thanks to the journey of the last 6 weeks, I think I’ve finally evolved to being more focused on relationships and experiences instead of just completing tasks. I think the common turn of phrase is taking time to smell the roses. I haven’t been stopping long enough to enjoy the scent. I’ve now discovered the roadmap to living my best life and becoming my best self.
My last round happens today at the Toronto Golf Club, which is the third oldest club in North America. As luck would have it, I am playing with a friend of the F-1 Monaco daughters. I am looking forward to meeting Matt, the Associate Pro, even more so than playing the course. I encourage all of you to create your own journey to enlightenment. You might be surprised with what you find.
Finally, I sat down to taste test the Transfusion vs the Cranfusion. I began with the first Cranfusion because I have a background consuming Transfusions to excess. After finishing the first can, I looked at the three remaining in the fridge. I reached for the second Cranfusion. Contest over. The tartness of the juice just makes it better.
